A Future Endeavor

As I apply for graduation in the spring, I am sitting in my room thinking of all the things I want to accomplish now that my time will soon allow anything I wish. There is a very long list of things I want to do when I am finished with school, some of which include the cliche, like traveling the world, starting a career and being with the love of my life. However many of the things that I can’t wait to do are in an arms length reach, and those are the things that have me most excited.

First, it must be clear that I have a boundless love for flowers and I am truly a designer at heart. When I finish my degree in Arts Management, one of the things I’ll be sure to cross off my list is being trained professionally in floral design. It sounds corny but for many years I have loved to design parties, make decorations, and put together floral arrangements from what the farm offered. I realized that it isn’t corny and that its something that I truly enjoy doing for every second that I am doing it,  and it comes naturally.

I’ve looked into several different trainings,  hosted by different floral design companies, although one of my favorites has caught my eye. Saipua is a floral design as well as soap making company. The company is based in New York City and what caught my attention was the sort of rustic, english style that encapsulated many of their designs. Their teams design and offer artistic support to weddings and many other types of events, I thought, this is right up my alley.

The company has a whole other side to it as well, as many big floral companies do, they have a farm which is located in Albany, New York. The farm grows a majority of the floral components for their arrangements which are produced in New York City.  Many of the designs that I love from Saipua, encapsulate this rustic look using many wildflowers and other greenery that give their arrangements a certain charm, all while have a New York elegance to them.

As I begin to wrap things up at college, I’m looking to my next move, which is to begin taking classes as well as self teaching in floral design. I one day hope to be involved in all processes of the joy that floral bring, including the growing as well as the fruition of arrangements and events.

Check out Saipua’s website! Some very inspirational and beautiful work they do, I recommend for all designers, farm and flower people!

A Thanks to the Thanksgiving Goddess

I hope that everyone had an abundant and wonderful Thanksgiving. I was fortunate enough to travel to one of my favorite places, Boulder, Colorado to see my family for the holiday. It was a very special time, given that I have not seen this side of my family in a very long time. The weather was absolutely spectacular, never once dropping below 60 degrees. One of the reasons why I love Colorado so much is for the beautiful sunshine that it boasts, more often than not.

My trip was spent mostly relaxing and enjoying the beautiful weather, the mountains and many amazing things that Denver and Boulder have to offer. On Thanksgiving day, my abilities in the kitchen were put to the test and thanks to one of my idol’s, Martha Stewart, my sister and I banged out a beautiful feast for our family. I don’t know about the rest of you, but for my family, we have a tradition of going out and having one to many drinks the night before the big feast. So you can probably imagine how we were all feeling before we had to start whipping up vats of food for our family, thanks to a little Bailey’s and coffee we were ready to rock in no time. Luckily Dad called dibs on the Turkey, so we were responsible for the rest of the Thanksgiving menu which included, Garlic Mashed Potatoes (of course), Mushroom Walnut and Sage Stuffing, the classic Green Bean Casserole and Sweet Potato Casserole. Another thanks to Martha Stewart, we had no problem choosing recipes for our dishes, I have never tried a recipe of hers that was not good and up to my mothers standards. The biggest hits of the night were obviously Garlic mashed Potatoes and Stuffing.

Lucky for my family, our Mother owns a farm in New York (yes the one I always mention). My sister decided to road trip from there to Boulder, in order to stop and spend time with family on the way. This was a brilliant idea, because we were able to cook with free vegetables and dairy from our farm that my sister drove with her. Butternut squash, russet potatoes, onions, dried herbs and freshly baked breads were all provided to make our family feast. Remember when I told you there is nothing more rewarding than being able to eat foods from your own labor? This was one of those beautiful moments.

Fall Treats from Our Fallen Sweets

Here in Westchester County, the last couple weeks our fall had not been feeling so fall-like. The weather was feeling like it was still September, so boots and flannels were no option. Growing up in a house with my mother, who I’ve previously related to Martha Stewart, I’ve been conditioned to understand Autumn through food, craft and weather related activities. Given this, I feel an obligation and passion to ‘participating in fall’.

With Halloween approaching and a lack of fall-spirit, I set out in search of some serious fall adventures and Martha Stewart crafts. Lucky for me, I am a quick 3 hours from a beautiful place called, Sheep Fold Farm. Also known to me as Home and place to get completely immersed in cooking a delicious meal, working intently on a beautiful craft project or simply lounging in a pair of cozy wool socks. In the presence of my amazing mother, who is the owner and caretaker of this beautiful farm in Upstate, New York we decided to bring a little fall to our lives with some baking and making.

First things first, our favorite treat of all time is Rice Krispy treats, no matter the season my mother and I are always interested in eating a full batch of these sugary squares. As my mom was working on our crispy squares, she began telling me how she went to local Amish auction and purchase several bushels of apples. Now my first thought was, “what in the hell are you going to do with several bushels of apples?” to which she answered “We’re going to make apple cider!”

We began by filling our big white, two bay sink with room temp water and a dash of white vinegar, even though the apples were organically grown the purpose of this was to rinse away any dirt or unwanted debris on the outside of the apples. Because we did not plan to adda anything but apples to our cider, we wanted to be sure that the apples were clean and we could get the longest shelf life out of our apple cider. The next step was to prep the apples for juicing, this can be done by several different methods involving different small kitchen appliances or if you’re interested in pure authenticity, a cider mill. For us, since the idea to make cider was on a whim, we decided to whip out the good old cold press juicer. For this, all we had to do was simply chop the apples into halves and quarters. This also depends on the size and type of apples you are going to use for your cider. In our “cheat” method of throwing the apple chunks into the juicer, that is very simply all we had to do. Beside one last step, of straining the pulp out of the cider to get a clearer looking cider, as well as riding the juice of any extra, thick pulp.

Throughout the process of juicing about 80 apples, our crispy treats had plenty of time to cool off, we then decided it would be fun to cut them into a pumpkin shape (because of course Martha Stewart would have every fall shaped cookie cutter you can imagine).

We then bottled our apple cider for giving to friends and family, opened a bottle of Pinot Noir and toasted to Fall!

 

Farming is Important, Food is Important.

Take a moment and think… how many farmers do you actually know?

I’m going to assume that the number is quite low, you might know one or two actual farmers and spending on where you live you might not know any, heck you might have never even seen a farmer or a farm before. Before all of us were able to go anywhere and get the same white eggs, milk and bread we find in all supermarkets, before there were massive industrial farms to put the same looking tomato or avocado in your local produce isle everyday, you might have had to go visit a local farmer and trade or a co-op where you bought goods produced by the local farmers and artisans in your community.

In the United States, as of 2008, less than 2 percent of the population was farming or “directly employed in agriculture”. This could mean even less were actually farmers, meaning people tending to their own land and producing their own products from seed to harvest. With the abundance of readily available and inexpensive food products in all supermarkets across America, there has become less of a demand for humans to grow an produce their own food, or for that matter even know where the hell its coming from. 9 times out of 10 the food we find in a supermarket is grown on a gigantic industrial farm with little health and safety regulations, sprayed or injected with pesticides and/or hormones, shipped across thousands of miles and sometimes oceans all for your convenience at your local supermarket. Quite an oxymoron is you ask me. There seems to be hardly anything convenient about shipping produce from the Gulf of Mexico to a supermarket in Hudson Valley of New York, one of the most agriculturally rich regions in the Northeast.

If only there were a way to buy and consume food that was ten times as convenient, and a hell of a lot more natural for our bodies to consume. Before humans had the technological advances to store and preserve food products with chemicals and transport them around the globe, we simply grew it ourselves and if we did not grow it, we found it! Yes, we were provided with he luxury of having anything we wanted whenever we wanted it. You may be thinking, ‘how boring, growing and eating the same thing every day all year round’. However it is quite the opposite, the earth provides us with four seasons that have different climates depending on the region of the world you live in, these climates provide different growing seasons. Growing seasons are essentially responsible for what foods are able to survive in specific climates and weather. This is why we get watermelons in the summer and pumpkins in the fall (at least in the northeastern United States). My point being, that growing food is not mundane and it will definitely prove to be anything but boring and provide you with a richer and much wider palette that you might not even purchase from your local supermarket.

Not only does growing your own food allow you to live sustainably, but it is extremely rewarding to plant, harvest and eat things that were created by the earth and your own two hands. It also should encourage you to travel more to see what other farmers are growing in different regions of the world and to try new food and meet new kinds of people. If you only go to one place to get everything you ever needed, how will you ever experience all of the awesome people, places and food that the world has to offer.

Participating in growing, purchasing and eating local food products that you know the origin of, not only supports your local economy but also your health.

The Bounty of Fall

It is finally fall and farmers all around the northeastern United States are getting ready to harvest the bounty of summers labor. For many fall is a favorite season, maybe for the change in temperature leading to cozy boots and sweater weather. Why not because of the beautiful colors of the landscape that we experience in the Northeast? It may be simply the crisp smell of the dried up leaves in the cool air for some. Though, I’m sure if you asked any farmer why they like fall, aside from no longer tending to their crops or animals in the sweltering sun, it most definitely will be because of the amazing flavors in food that the fall bounty brings us.

When you hear the words ‘fall bounty” you might be picturing one of those strange looking cone things that look somewhat like a giant Bugle chip or a croissant….oh yeah, a Cornucopia! Most all of us remember this from elementary school, every year the teachers would decorate classrooms with those cheesy cutouts for each upcoming holiday and after Halloween there would be turkeys, “pilgrims”, and cornucopia’s plastered everywhere. Corniness aside, (pun intended) this fall icon is symbolic of plentyness and bounty. Traditional the ‘croissant’ looking piece is a basket woven into the shape of a goats horn. It is thought that the Cornucopia comes from several greek mythologies having to do with harvest, prosperity and spiritual abundance.

Today the cornucopia symbolizes a holiday celebrated in the United States, Thanksgiving. And it sure does have to do with abundance. People anticipate this day for months, planning trips to visit loved ones and bringing family together to “celebrate the bounty of fall” or what many American families do, watch football and see how much mashed potatoes and stuffing you can eat until you actually fall asleep.

Growing up in the mid-west this was a thanksgiving tradition that my family and I became very accustomed to. However as my family moved from state to state experiencing new ways of living and my brothers and sisters got older and moved out tradition began to change. Not to mention, living on a farm in the middle of no where made everything different. Though, it wasn’t all bad, these changes made my family appreciate the more important aspects in life like friendship, family, food and health.

Thanksgiving was no longer about beer, football and a butterball turkey. It became about the change in season and taking a step back to appreciate growth, change, accomplishments and the things we are grateful to have everyday in our lives. Living in a rural community life can be hard, you work the land everyday with your body, mind and soul which can be exhausting. Unlike a city life mentality there is little “work hard, play hard” feeling toward the everyday grind its more like “work hard, eat, sleep so you can work hard again tomorrow”. And this happens all summer long. It’s no surprise that we are excited to celebrate the bounty of our hard and draining work.

Beautiful Beginner Veggies

Following the first harvest from our farm, I was more astonished by the beautiful specimens that came from our large scale garden. I want to share several different vegetables that are typical for beginner growers, as well as fun and interesting varieties of these plants that may make your time in the garden a bit more fascinating. When many people think of farming or small scale gardening their minds tend to go straight to corn… boring old corn. As well as zucchini, tomatoes of course, and the dead ringer of them all, cabbage!

Depending on who you talk to, cabbage is the most loved and most hated vegetable out there. In the late 20th century, most anyone you spoke to in the U.S. would probably tell you how much they hated the vegetable. This is mostly due to a lack of creativity in the kitchen, however as of recently cabbage is definitely fab! With good reason, cabbage is one of the easiest to grow, cook, store and hardiest vegetables out there. The growing season for cabbage begins the day after the last frost in early spring and can be harvested throughout the summer and sometimes into early fall. Not only is the growing season open for a long period of time, but fresh cabbage can be stored for up to 3 months (in proper conditions)! Tell me a vegetable thats hardier than that…

If you’re bored by the idea of planting cabbage in your garden, opt for a more rare looking variety. Hispi Cabbage, sometimes referred to as sweat heart cabbage might be able to spice things for your harvest. This is a green variety, with a pointed end. Upon your first sighting of a Hispi Cabbage you may think that you’re looking at a bright green Pokemon, although this one has a tasty, soft texture and sweeter taste than other varieties. Which is why it might be an interesting addition to you’re home garden.

As you might already know, many are not as enthusiast about the cabbage as I am. If you’re a veggie eater, you might not know what to do with your cabbage. Delicious recipes include simply rubbing your cabbage with olive oil and some light seasonings and char grilling it. Remember, less is always more! With many types of cabbage varieties they are scrumptious when pickled in vinegar and sugar, like a sauerkraut or a kimchi (which includes other vegetables and spices). With the Hispi variety, its texture is quite soft and it has a much sweet flavor than most, making it a great crunchy companion to your salad greens!

For more about vegetable gardening and florals, visit my Twitter account!

The Fruits of Labor

I am a creative from Upstate New York looking to share my passion with people in the hopes that they will do the same. Living on a farm in New York, there isn’t a shortage of tasks to get your hands dirty. However, my mother sister an I love to get down in the garden! Regardless of what it is, we love to plant, grow and harvest our own food, animals and flowers. On the other end of the spectrum, the three of us cannot help but obsess over fashion, interior and floral design. My mother having a background in interior design, has influenced our tastes and hobbies more than we like to admit sometimes! Growing up, Ive been surrounded by what some would describe as “womanly” or “homemaker” hobbies.  Gardening, knitting, sewing, crafting and cooking are things I grew up learning and exploring how to do.

Growing up in Martha Stewart’s household (aka my mother) my deep appreciation for craft, culture and cooking were established. As I shared with you in the last post, I got my hands in the dirt at a young age. Not a season has gone by since that I have not been working with plants or at least surrounded by them. In 2012, my parents decided to purchase a farm in Upstate New York. Coming from the west (Colorado), starting a life on an old dairy farm was a huge change for my family and I. Let alone the culture of rural New York itself was a shock.

It took months for my sister and I, 15 and 16 years old, to stop having a bitter attitude about the culture shock that we were enduring. To this day I still have my doubts about New York, however through the long 6 years I have lived here, our little nook in the world has developed a deep, loving place in my heart. My appreciation for rural life made way when we began to work the earth of our new farm. Planting a two acre vegetable and flower garden is hard work for some rookies like us. We were sun-burnt and sore day after day that summer. But finally we were able to harvest the first fruits of our labor. Several zucchini, some small and delicious tomatoes and some gorgeous pink peonies seemed like not a lot of yield for the work we were doing. Come August, it seemed so sudden that we weren’t even able keep up with all the food we were harvesting. That summer many of our friends, family, neighbors and even strangers benefited from the hard work we did. Before those three months, I had never felt a more satisfying feeling than growing and harvesting our own food.

This blog is here for you to learn and indulge with me in the beauty of cultivation and design.

Aspiring Designer and Floral Farmer

Hello and welcome to Flora Farmer! My name is Eloise Bruss, I’m a liberal arts student from New York who is aspiring to be a lot of things in this life, though there is one thing that makes my heart throb more than anything else in this world…Thats flowers! My love for flowers blossomed when I was in fourth grade and had no clue what I loved in this world. At this time, my family was living in a suburb in Columbus Ohio, where my only concerns in life were riding my bike to the pool in the summer time and not flunking out of math class.  It took years of my mother constantly introducing me to new activities and hobbies in the hopes that something, anything would stick. Being the loving mother that she was, she bought me a drum set, a pottery wheel, a painting easel, piano lessons, put me in sports… you name it, she tried it! I would try a new activity for a week or a month and then quickly become uninterested. My family, especially my mother and my older sister have always had an unending love for animals. And my family as a whole, my mother being a former chef, was raised to have a deep appreciation for food.

Because my sister was into equestrian, my immediate family always had ties to agricultural communities and 4-H, which is an organization that allows youths to network, whose mission is, “Engaging youth to reach their fullest potential while advancing the field of youth development.” This statement is quite broad, though typically many 4-H youths are interested in agriculture, livestock or equestrian fields. The organization has clubs, which allow you to meet other kids and teens who are interested in a wealth of different hobbies. To get to my point, my mother suggested to me that I chose something that sounds fun to me and join (I was so indecisive it was up to her to sign me up and chose). So it was flower growing and table setting! You’re probably thinking, “table setting?! Thats even a thing?”. My answer to you, yes its a thing.

As a result of joining this young agricultural club, I become a young flower farmer. I tended to, harvested and used my own flower garden for arrangements that I created for club competitions. The growing was fascinating to me and allowed me to be outside and establish a deep connection and understanding to the earth and the beautiful things that we can create together.